1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to new antitumor compounds which are daunorubicin derivatives, in particular, 9-desacetyl-9-hydroxymethyl derivatives of daunorubicin, a process for making them, as well as a key intermediate in the synthesis thereof and a method of using them in treating tumors. The invention described herein was made in the course of work under a grant from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
2. The Prior Art
Daunorubicin (also known as daunomycin) is a known compound which is described in British Pat. No. 1,003,383, owned by the unrecorded assignee hereof. In addition, the starting material for the process according to this invention, namely, 13-dihydrodoxorubicin, is a known compound which is described in West German patent publication (Offenlegungsschrift) No. 2,202,690.